Crispy Bread Fritters

A favorite in many parts of northern India,they are also known as ‘Bread Pakodas’. Eaten as a snack as well as a breakfast item, they've been a much savored food item for many years now. A childhood favorite of mine, I loved having these Crispy Bread Fritters at my aunt’s place or on Sundays at home. They are especially enjoyed when the weather is a little cooler or on a rainy day with a warm cup of tea. A popular street food in India, they're fried but taste so great, you’ll find them hard to resist.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

• 4-5 Brown/ White Bread slices

• 1 cup Chickpea Flour

• Water for batter

• Salt to taste

• Black Pepper to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala

• Pinch of Asafoetida

• 1 Thai Green Chili thin minced (optional)

• Oil for frying

Take a deep dish pan for frying and heat oil enough so you can fry the fritters.

To prepare the batter, take chickpea flour in a bowl and add water to it slowly. Keep stirring until you get a smooth and consistent mixture. It’s important to pour water slowly and mix well to avoid forming lumps. Now add the salt, pepper, garam masala and asafoetida and stir to mix well. You can add minced green chili to make it spicy if you like.

Slice the bread slices diagonally and keep aside. Once the oil is hot, take the bread slice one at a time and dip into the batter to get a good coating. Slowly slide into the pan to fry. Allow to cook on medium heat for a few minutes on both sides.

Remove into a plate. You can place a few paper tissues on the plate for the extra oil to get absorbed out. Serve with tomato ketchup or any other dip or sauce of your liking. A warm beverage is a good accompaniment.

If you like the recipe, do try it and leave a comment here to let me know!

Thanks...yeah...I'm yet to meet somebody not fond of them:)...That's a good habit to add asafoetida in chickpea recipes...and a good tip to share with everybody here...makes it lighter on the stomach...thanx:)

Vote no 4. Yum, they sound marvellous, like a spicy vegan version of French toast (bread soaked in beaten egg and fried). I do miss that sometimes being a vegan, so I will try this recipe instead! You might be interested in my latest recipe for Houmous and Sprout Pittas, and if you like it, please vote!

Thanks Veganara that's an apt comparison...this is a vegan french toast of sorts...only this is fried as in deep fried...though you can make it in less oil too. I did vote for your recipe:) Thanks for reading!

This recipe also works well with gluten-free bread ... and the batter is also gluten-free ... hooray!! Being gluten-free means I miss many of the traditional foods I grew up with from Northern India ... this one is an exception! Love it, love it, love it!